Overview & Reviews

Scion is one of the youngest brands on the market -- which seems appropriate given that it's targeted at a very youthful demographic. Scion has quickly found a home in the hearts of buyers seeking its winning blend of value and style. The frosting on this cake is that Scion is part of the Toyota family, offering all the quality and reliability you'd expect from a marque with its parentage.

When Toyota realized early in the 21st century that it was losing market share in the younger demographic due to a stodgy image, the company took a chance and decided to spin off a new brand called Scion (its name means "descendant" or "heir to"). The first Scions, the xA and xB models, were introduced for the 2004 model year. These edgy little cruisers were first available only in the California market; after a staggered rollout, Scion vehicles became available nationwide.

Both the xA and xB were immediate hits, snapped up by young (or young at heart) buyers looking for high-quality, fun and affordable wheels. The boxy yet funky styling of the Scions provided a lot of passenger and cargo room for the cars' small footprints, making them ideal choices for campus and urban residents alike. They also coddled the youth market with flashy sound systems; Scion's stereos are among the best in the economy-car segment.

The following year, the Scion brood grew to include the tC. This compact but sporty coupe offered more performance relative to its older siblings, thanks largely to a more powerful engine. The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor. By 2012, Scion had introduced the tiny iQ city car and the sporty FR-S sport coupe.

In the interest of keeping things simple for buyers, Scions typically come in only one trim level. However, buyers have the option of customizing their rides with a host of dealership-provided accessories, such as a subwoofer, body kits and custom exhausts. Scion also offers no-haggle pricing wherein buyers pay the list (window sticker) price, thus streamlining the negotiation process.

So far, a simple and well-equipped model lineup, no-haggle pricing and a variety of dealer-added options have combined to make the Scion brand popular with American consumers. The economy car segment isn't typically the first place you'd look for stylish, fun-to-drive vehicles, but Scion has changed all that by offering cars rich with a seductive exuberance that belies their modest pricing.

User Reviews:

• 

  Good Mix of Sporty, Practical, and Fun - 2007 Scion TC
  By Harper - January 12 - 1:03 am

  Driving of the tC is firm and there is plenty acceleration through the entire power band. Its styling is great. It gets good gas mileage even though you are having too much fun in the passing lane. It has an original look about it since not everyone and their mother is driving one.

• 

  Fun reliable car that stands out - 2010 Scion XB
  By swany - January 11 - 6:30 pm

  Just bought the 2010 murasaki purple 7.0 series, its a great car. My wife has a 06 4.0 series and I always loved how nimble and tight the steering felt. I dont like that hers is an automatic I dont like the shift points. I prefer a manual gearbox anyways. The 06 xb has 64k miles and never had it in the shop for anything. So I bought myself one as well. Lots of performance parts to spruce the hp, and numerous aesthetic parts to make it your own.

• 

  Happy Times with My XD. - 2012 Scion XD
  By oceanskyd - January 9 - 1:18 am

  My great little XD now has 14,000 miles. The factory tires became very noisy, so I replaced them early on with 215/55/16 size. I couldnt ask for a better ride. The engine and transmission are more than adequate around town, and cruising on the freeway is a joy. The Corolla sourced powertrain means a carefree 200K plus miles. I should know, I traded in a Corolla that had 215,000 miles on it; started every morning without fail, and did not burn oil. I love my XD. The look is unique, the driving experience is fun.

• 

  Great family mover - 2009 Scion XB
  By toasterdriver - January 8 - 2:06 am

  I bought the xB as I was looking to upsize (2 growing kids) from a Nissan Sentra. I looked at the Dodge Caliber, Chevy HHR, Hyundai Sonata, and Volkswagen Jetta. Not only did the xB beat all of them on price and options, but it is a wonderfully fun yet practical car. The fit and finish were excellent. Standard options were unmatched. But the space , the inside is cavernous. The back seat passengers (my kids) have more room than I have seen in most SUVs, let alone cars. It has excellent power and pickup, even with the a/c on full blast. Even if you end up buying something else, this is a car you owe it to yourself to at least check out.

• 

  Great Multipurpose vehicle - 2006 Scion XB
  By lindelift394 - January 7 - 1:20 am

  This is a great vehicle for someone who needs a lot of room for a little bit of money. This car is fun to drive, the handling around turns is great, even on wet roads. Im a little over 6 tall and finding a comfortable car is hard for me, but the xB has plenty of foot and head room. Ive been getting about 33-34 mpg with it and thats important to me because I drive quite a bit. My only complaint so far would be that Scion shows as a standard feature the audio controls on the steering wheel and mine did not come with that.

• 

  Not all that - 2005 Scion TC
  By kevin - January 5 - 8:03 am

  I was expecting a lot from the Scion tC because everyone told me "best bang for your buck" but to me it didnt deliver. You can tell Toyota really cut corners when building this car, and thats why they offer it for so cheap. The interior would constantly rattle to the point I hated driving it. My radio cover would squeak and the hatch would always rattle. The sunroof covers started to sag after 12,000 miles. Gas mileage is pathetic considering Toyota makes 270 hp V6 with the same MPG. After a year and a half of owning I traded it in.

• 

  My results - 2005 Scion xA
  By Miles Morris - January 2 - 10:16 pm

  I have had my XA for a couple months now, just went over 5000 miles. I have to say i really like this car alot. I tried premium gas for a bit but it really runs better and gets much better milage with the regular.I drive 75 miles a day for work, got 490 miles in the last tank, thats what i had when i chickened out and bout gas after the little gas tank warning thing came on anyway, probably could have gone to 500 miles. Its mostly back road travel at 45 to 50 mph, it seems to love going that speed. Taking the highway at 65 mph was my first test, engine revved way high, was averaging about 35 mpg, less stop and go even, now im around 40 mpg average with more stop and go.

• 

  Little Car that Could - 2008 Scion XB
  By JettAntonio - January 2 - 12:56 am

  Just bought my xB last week & Im very happy & impressed. This car almost has everything. Its big enough of to fit 5 full adults with still enough cargo space but not too big to park on a compact parking space. The MPG isnt so bad considering the trade off. The center speedometer takes awhile getting used to but its an a safety improvement. Its very ideal that side curtain airbags and VSC come standard. If you are shopping for a bigger car, give this car a try. Take it for a spin & decide for yourself. & if you do, we look forward to reading your reviews here.

• 

  Im cool at 40+ - 2008 Scion XD
  By Mark A. - December 31 - 1:23 am

  I have had my Scion xD for a week now and know I made the right choice. At 41 Im cool again. I feel like a teenager again, this roomy little car is great. I love the style, love how it handles and plenty of power for a sub-compact. This is my 4th Toyota so I know it will last. The gas mileage is great and I cant believe how simple it was to buy the car. No Hassle and actually a pleasure. Crown Toyota in Ontario, CA. did a great job, thank you. It really is a fun car to drive. Very happy. GOOD JOB TOYOTA!!!...:)

• 

  Its only getting better - 2008 Scion XD
  By kris - December 28 - 5:03 pm

  I have my XD for only 3 weeks now thatÂ’s not a long time but it took me 6 months to decided on a car and boy was it the right one. ItÂ’s not a car for everyone but you have to judge your needs and figure out whatÂ’s best for you. The XD has everything I needed power on everything but the seat. ipod connection, decent power for the car it is. Looks cool and with the addition of some aftermarket products it will look great.